Crank mechanism for opening cleanout doors on combine elevators



April 13, 1965 v P. A. OSHANYK 3,178,011

CRANK MECHANISM FOR OPENING CLEAN-OUT DOORS ON COMBINE ELEVATORS Filed July 10, 1965 INVENTOR.

PETER 4. USH'A MW? United States Patent 3,178,011 CRANK MECHANISM FUR OPENING CLEAN- OUT DO0R 0N COMBINE ELEVATORS Peter A. Oshanyk, Wilton, N. Dak. Filed July 10, 1963, Ser. No. 294,030 7 Claims. (Cl. 198-207) This invention relates generally to grain elevators for combines, and pertain-s more particularly to a clean-out or access door that can be readily opened or closed.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a door at the bottom of combine elevators that will provide a rapid and easy access to the conveyor mechanism for the purpose or" cleaning, adjusting and repairing same. In this regard, it is an aim of the invention to provide a crank mechanism that will facilitate the opening and closing of the access door, and which will not be expensive, thereby encouraging its widespread use.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following descrip tion, made in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

. FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a combine showing the tailing-s return elevator and also the grain storage tank elevator;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the lower portion of the tailings return elevator shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the crank mechanism taken in the direction of line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but with the clean-out door shown in open position, and

FIGURE 5 is a lower end view taken in the direction of line 5-5 of FIGURE 2.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, a portion of a typicalv combine has been designated generally by the reference numeral 10. As is customary, a hopper E2 is carried on the combine and grain is dumped thereinto via a grain storage tank elevator labeled 14. A tailings return elevator is also pictured and bears the reference numeral 16. While my invention will find utility in conjunction with either of the elevators 14 or 16, the description will deal with the latter.

As illustrated in phantom outline, the elevator 16 includes a conveyor 18 of the endless belt type which is mounted on transverse shafts Zil, 22. The elevator further includes a casing 24 having an inlet 26. While the casing has a generally rectangular cross section, the sides thereof have a semicircular configuration at their lower ends with an opening 23 therebetween providing access to the interior of the casing.

A clean-out door 30 is employed to normally close the opening 28. One leaf of a hinge 32 is secured to the door 3! and the other leaf thereof is secured to the casing 24. It will be observed, especially from FIGURE 4, that the door 30 has a semicircular appearance so as to conform with the semicircular end of the casing 24. The door 30 is formed with arcuate side flanges 34 so as to completely close the opening 28 and prevent the escape of any grain when the door 3% is pivoted into engagement with the casing 24. The door is also formed with an outturned or radially directed end flange 36 having an aperture at 38. Having one end secured to the door 36 is a stabilizing bracket 44 provided with an aperture 4-2; aligned with the aperture 38.

The end flange 35 in conjunction with the bracket 49 provides means for rotatably supporting a crank member 46 having a handle 47 and a threaded shank 48. It will be appreciated that the apertures 33 and 42 are of such a size as to freely accommodate the crank member 46 so that it can rotate without interference. It will be also noted that the threaded shank 48 has fixedly disposed thereon an adjusting nut 50 which can be held against rotation relative to the shank 48 by a tack weld or cotter pin (not shown). The nut 56 bears or reacts against the flange 36 when closing the door 30, as will become clearer as the description progresses. While a second nut could be utilized, the drawing shows a cotter pin 52 which has been inserted through a drilled hole in the threaded shank 43 at the proper longitudinal location, the cotter pin 52 serving to bear or react against the flange 36 when opening the door 39.

At this time, attention is directed to the presence of an angle iron or bracket 54 that is secured to the casing 24-. A plate 56 confronts the upstanding flange on the bracket 54, being capable of limited movement due to four cotter pins 58 that extend through both the plate 56 and the bracket 54. The openings for the cotter pins 58 are somewhat oversized so as to permit the cotter pins to shift therein. The plate 56 is apertured and carries a nut 6% Med thereto. Since the nut 69 is atiixed to the plate 55, it follows that the nut will be shiftable when the plate is shifted.

Having presented the foregoing information, the manner in which my crank mechanism for opening and closing the clean-out or access door 30 should be readily comprehended. Assuming, though, that the door 39 is in its open position as illustrated in FIGURE 4, then the user would merely pivot the door 34 upwardly about the hinge 32 and when the end of the threaded shank 48 is brought into juxtaposition with the nut 3%, then the handle 47 would be turned to rotate the crank member 46 and thereby eifect threaded engagement of the shank 48 with the nut 69. The nut 60 can readily shift sufficiently to allow insertion of the shank 48 therein; hence, the nut till does not have to be accurately aligned with the crank member' 46.

Rotation of the crank member 46 will progressively pull the door 30 into a tightly closed position with respect to the opening 28 at the lower end of the casing 24, the nut 55 hearing against the fiange 36 effecting the closing action. The closed position of the door 30 is illustrated in FIGURE 2.

When the door 30 is to be opened for cleaning purposes, or in order to make any adjustments to the conveyor 13, or to repair the conveyor 18, then the crank 46 will be rotated in an opposite direction and the cotter pin 52 reacts against the opposite side of the flange 36 to force or pull the door 30 open. It has already been mentioned that a second nut could be used in lieu of the cotter pin 52, but it will be appreciatedthat the cotter pin 52 can be easily installed and can be more readily removed than a second nut could, especially if tack welded, thereby permitting the crank member 46 to be replaced should the threads on the shank 48 ever become damaged.

It should be appreciated that the door 30 will be easily opened or closed, as circumstances dictate, and this can be accomplished with a minimum of effort. It will also be understood that standard bolt threads, nuts, brazing and welding procedures can be utilized in mounting the door 36).

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangements and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. In combination with a combine elevator provided with an inclined casing having an opening at its lower end and a conveyor movable within said casing:

(a) a clean-out door;

(b) means hingedly connecting said door adjacent one edge thereof for movement into open and closed positions with respect to said casing opening;

(c) a crank member having a threaded end;

(d) means rotatably mounting said crank member on said door adjacent the edge thereof opposite said one edge, arid (e) threaded means fixedly mounted on said casing close the lower a crank member having a threaded shank por-- tion; I (d) means rotatably mounting said crank member on said door, and I (e) a nut member mounted on said casing for threadedly receiving said shank portion to hold said door in its closed position. I a I 3. The combination set forth in claim in which: (a) said means 'for mounting said crank member ineludes an apertured element projecting from the end.

of said'door remote from said hinge for journaling said crank member, and

(b) an element carried on said crank member for reactively engaging one side of said apertured element to pull said door closed when said shank portion is inserted into said nut member. 4. The combination set forth in claim 3 including: (a) a second element carried on said crank member for reactively engaging' the other side of said apertured element to push said door open when said shank portion is received in said nut member. 5. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which? (a) said first element constitutes a nut member afiixed to said shank portion, and

(12) said second element constitutes a cotter pin extend ing-through said shank portion. I

6. In combination with a combine elevator with an inclined casing having a semicircular open lower end when viewed from one side and a conveyormov able within said casing:

(a) a semicircular door of a size to close the lower end of said casing having an outturned flange thereon adjacent one edge with an aperture therein;

([1) a hinge connecting the opposite edge of said door to said casing;

(c) a stabilizing bracket'extending parallel to' said outturned flange'having an aperture aligned with said flange aperture; a 5

(d) a crank member journaled for rotation in said aligned apertures, I j

V (c) said crank member having a handle at one end and threads at the other end; I

' (7) an apertured bracket projecting from the opposite side of said casing from said hinge;

(g) an apertured plate; 1

(hlmeans mounting said plate for limited shifting movement against one side oi'said last-mentioned bracket, and I a I I (i) a nut member carried on said plate for movement therewith, i I s (j) whereby insertion of said one end ofthe member intosaid nut member and rotation of said crank member will cause said door to be. pulled' closed. I V v 7. The combination setforth in claim plate mounting means includes:

(a) a plurality of. cotter pins,

(b) said last-mentioned bracket and plate having over-- sized apertures for'the accommodation of said cotter pins.- f c V References Cited by' the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 317,791 5/85 Howell 19s' 207 1,761,842 6/30 Pierson V 198,207

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. WILLIAM '13. LA BQRDE, Examiner.

provided 6 in which said 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A COMBINE ELEVATOR PROVIDED WITH AN INCLINED CASING HAVING AN OPENING AT ITS LOWER END AND A CONVEYOR MOVABLE WITHIN SAID CASING: (A) A CLEAN-OUT DOOR; (B) MEANS HINGEDLY CONNECTING SAID DOOR ADJACENT ONE EDGE THEREOF FOR MOVEMENT INTO OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO SAID CASING OPENING; (C) A CRANK MEMBER HAVING A THREADED END; (D) MENAS ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID CRANK MEMBER ON SAID DOOR ADJACENT THE EDGE THEREOF OPPOSITE SAID ONE EDGE, AND (E) THREADED MEANS FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON SAID CASING FOR RECEIVING SAID THREADED END TO HOLD SAID DOOR IN ITS SAID CLOSED POSITION. 